Curtain mud guard for automobiles



UCt-

w, P. FLEMING CURTAIN MUD GUARD F OR AUTOMOBILES Filed Feb. 25 1924-,513,l6 e E.

PATEN WALTER P. FLEMING, O! HIGHLAND PARK, MICHIGAN.

CURTAIN MUD GUARD FOR AUTOMOBILES.

Appllication filed February 25, 1924. Serial No. 694,875.

I To all whom it may concern:

Be'it known that I, WALTER P. FLEMINe, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica,

- ,residingin the city of Highland Park, county Curtain Mud Guard forAutomobiles, and

' declare the following-to-be-a full, clear, and

whic exact description of the same, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it pertains to make and'use the same, reference beinhad to the accompanying drawings,

form a part of'these specifications.

The object of my invention is to provide a detachable mud guard for therear wheel of an automobile, which may be easily and convenientlyattached to the wheel fender, and for preventin the rear auto wheel fromthrowing mu on the following car being towed behind; o

It is now the common practice among automobile dealers at the presenttime, to move several cars in transit from one place to another, byattaching one car behind another by use of a tow-away device, allowingthe several cars to be moved with onl one driver in the forward car, thecars eing attached very close together. The objection of moving new carsin this'manner is because of the forward car throwing mud from its rearwheel on the following car. My invention is for the purpose ofprotecting the towed car from being damaged by this means.

Another object is to provide a temporary mud guard for the rear wheelwhich can be attached quickly and easily, without drilling extra holesin the fender or marring the surface in any manner.

A further object is to provide a mud guard that can be easily shiftedfrom one car to another.

A still further object is to produce an extension mud guard that can beeasily and eficiently operated, can be used on any make car, and can bemanufactured at a very low cost.

These several objects are attained in the preferred form by theconstruction and arrangement of'parts more fully hereinafter set forth.

Similar parts on all drawings are marked "by similar numerals.

Fi 1, shows a front view of the mud guar as it 15 suspended from theguard clip.

"swin Fig. 2, is a side view of the guard clip and sus ended mudcurtain, and means for attac ing the clip to the end of the automobilefender. I

Fig. 3, is a back view of the guard clip showing the generalconstruction and means for opening the clip.

- Fig. 4, is a general view of the mud guard as attached to anautomobile.

I will now describe more fully the detailed construction of my curtainmud guard, referring to the drawings and the marks thereon.

The general construction of my mud guard consists of a detachableclamping frame, or

, guard clip, suitable for engaging and retaining therein the end of therear fender of an automobile, by clamping over the flange of the fender.The cap of the clamping frame is provided with surface cushions, and ishinged to the clip frame at one end and held in place by means of a lockbolt passing through both sections of the clip, clamping them firmlytogether. From a support rod mounted in the clip frame, is suspended theguard curtain.

The guard clip comprises a clip frame I l, made of suitable metalforforming castings, and is formed into an elongated rectangular barframe with a U-shaped socket -2 provided therein and extending acrossthe face of the frame near the central position thereof, to receive andretain there in the ribbon, or flange of-the automobile wheel fender.The U-socket may be varied in sizeand shape as required to fit thevarious make fenders used on automobiles. The upper end of the frame isextended beyond the U-socket, and shaped to fit the under surface of thefender crown 3 to which it is attached. The lower end of the clip frame--1- is provided with hinge blocks 4 and carrles a hinge pin 5 mountedtherein. A cap late -6- also provided with hinge bloc s 7 at one endthereof, is hinged to the clip frame 1 on the hinge m -5--, and isfreeto thereon for c osing thecap down on the c 'p frame. The cap plate 6-is also rectangular in shape, coinciding with the face'o the clip frame-1- when-both are closed together. On the cap plate --6-, near theouter'end' thereof, are imbedded'two surface cushions '-8, made of felt,or rubber, and are securely attached to the cap by forcing same withinthe retaining sockets cast in the cover plate. The surface cushframe,near the hinge ions are provided to prevent the guard clip from marringthe surface of the automobile fender when attached to new cars. Throu hthe walls of both the ca plate and the c p end thereof, is a slottedrecess for the lock bolt 9-. The cap plate --6 having a straightelongated slot --10 extending lengthwise ofthe bar, and near the hingedend thereof, and of a size to allow the lock bolt 9 to pass through asit is adjusted from one end to the other of the slot. While the clipframe is provided with the slot 11- which coincides with the slot -10.when the cap is closed down on the frame, the lower half of I theopening in the-clip frame being enlarged Y rectangular in form, havinnear the hinged end thereof, form a rectangular opening 12 of a size toa low the head of the lock bolt 9 to pass through. Between the openings1 1 and -12 is a rib 13- passing across the face of the clip frame 1,for the purpose of holding the lock bolt 9- in position when the cap andframe are clamped together. In 0 ening the guard clip it is onlynecessary to oosen the wing nut 14- on the bolt 9-, which allowsothebolt to be moved in the slotted recess, bringing the bolt head over theenlarged opening 12, then the bolt 9- may be drawn through the openingand the cap plate turned back on the hinge pivot 5, allowing the guardcllp ,to be removed from the fender. Through the outer end of the U-socket -2 is mounted a guard rod 15-, which passes through the castingand is extended on either side thereof, being held in place by a tightfit, .or by a set screw the mud curtain 16, made of leather, or

any flexible material. The curtain 16- is therein for receiving the ro--15, and is notched in the center to allow the curtain to pass over theclip frame casting. The curtain 16- is of a width to extend ovenbothsides of the-wheel tire, and of a length to reach near the ound when theguard clip is attached to t e end of the wheel fender.

In using my curtain mud ard, the guard clip is securely attached to t eend of the rear a looped end wheel fender by placing the U socket -2over the end fender flange and closing the hinged cap plate 6 down onthe outer surface of the fender crown. The lock bolt 9- being slid inplace in'the slots 10- and 11- and the winged nut .14 securelytightened, thus bringin the mud curtain in position directly behin therear wheel, preventing any mud from being thrown on the trailedautomobile while in transit.

Havin fully described my curtain mud guard w at I claim as my inventionand desire to secure by Letters Patent is;

1. A curtain mud ard for the rear 66 wheel of anautomobi e, comprising aU- socket clip frame to fit over and engage the inner flange of theautomobile wheel fender,

a cap plate hinged to the end of the U-socket clip frame, means forclamping said cap 70 plate to the U-socket frame for securely grippingthe fender walls, a guard rod mounted in the socket frame and extendinbeyond the sides thereof, a flexible mu curtain suspended from the guardrod. in 76 such a position as to hang directly behind the auto wheel.

2. A curtain mud guard adapted to the rear wheel of an automobile,comprising a U-socket frame to fit and en age the inner 80 flange of therear fender of t e automobile, a cap plate hinged to one end of theU-socket frame, surface cushions mounted within the said cap plate androjecting beyond the inner surface thereof: and so positioned as toengage the outer surface of the auto fender when the cap is closed onthe frame, a lock bolt passing through the walls of both cap plate andframe, means for clamping both cap and frame securely on the fender,slotted openings in the frame casting to al-'. low the bolt head to passthrough w en the cap plate is turned on the sup orting hinge, a guardrod mounted in the c ip frame and v pro'ecting from both sides of saidframe, a 5 flexible mud curtain suspended from the said guard rod. 7

In witness whereof I sign these specifications.

WALTER P. FLEMING.

